Locomotive boiler



hc. A. sneer-:L 1,894,613

Filed May 16, 1931 Iilf y INV NTO y /I/f ATTORNEY 4 sheets-sheet 2xNvENToR W/ 'HJ ATTORNEY Jan. 17, 1933. C, A, slEGEL 1,894,613

LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed May 16, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 la INVENTOR I /nlfATTORNEY .C. SIEGEL LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed May 16, 1931 Jan. 17,` 1933,

4 sheets-sheet 4 o uw@ INVENTOR la ATTORNEY ABY Patented Jan. 17, 1933PATENT .o1-FICE CHESTER A. SIEGEL, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY LOCOMOTIV EBOILER Application med May 16, 1931. serial No. 537,771.

My invention relates to boilers and has particular reference to the fireboxes thereof. More specifically it relates to' the lire. boxes ofboilers of the locomotive type.

In boilers of this type diiiiculty is encountered in obtaining thedesired degree of water circulation along the water spaces of the firebox adjacent to the side sheet-s thereof and numerous types of Watercirculating members have heretofore been proposed for increasingy therate of circulation through and around the fire box.

It has also been obtain the most eliicient combustion in boilers of thelocomotive type, particularly when such boilers are operated at highfiring rates, some form of arch is required in the iire box in order toprovide the necessary length of gas pass for the combustion gases beforethey enter the boiler iiues.

The present invention yprovides an improved structure for increasing therate of Water circulation along the side sheets of the boiler andprovides at the same time an improved means for supporting a refractoryarch in the fire box.

The more specific nature of the invent-ion together with the detailedobjects thereof and o the advantages to be derived from its use will bepointed out more in detail in the following description of suitableconstructional examples for carrying the invention into effeet, whichdescription is to be considered in conjunction with the drawings forminga part vof this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central section through the fire box portion ofa locomotive embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the circulating elements shown inFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale illustrating aconstructional feature of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 1, illustrating another form ofboiler embodying the invention;`

found that in order to Fig. 6 is a section taken onthe line 6-6 of Fig.5; and,

Fig. 7 is an elevation illustrating a modified form of arch supportingstructure.

Turning now to Fig. 1, the locomotive boiler indicated generally at 10comprises a t fire box 11 having the usual crown sheet 12.

side sheets 13 and rear sheet 14 provided with the usual firing dooropening 15. The fire box extends forwardly to form a combustion. chamber16, the front end of which is defined by the boiler flue sheet 17, towhich the rear ends of the boiler flues 18 are secured. At the forwardend of the fire box there is the usual throat sheet 19. The outer sheets20, 21 and 22 which, with the side, rear and throat sheets provide thewater spaces around the fire box, are stayed to the inner sheets bymeans of the usual stay-bolts 23. The crown sheet 12 is stayed to thewrapper sheet 24 in 70 the usual manner by means of stay-bolts 25.

A plurality of Water steaming and circulating members 26 are disposedtransversely of the fire box at longitudinally spaced intervals. Thesemembers may be said to be 0f 75 general T sh. e in elevation and when inposition in the re box the T is inverted. The stem of the T which, whenthe member is in place, forms the upper portion 26a thereof, isadvantageously fiat 'and presents an elongat- 80 ed opening 27 adaptedto communicate with the .water space above the crown sheet 12 through asuitable opening 28 provided in the crown sheet.- The portion 26a of themember 26 is stayed and the stays for this 85 portion may advantageouslybe in the form of a plurality of thimbles 29. The lower p0rtion of themember, forming the hollow arms 265 of the T, is bulged and the armsterminate in tubular shaped ends 26e which are 90 adapted to providecommunication with the water spaces adjacent to the side sheets 13.

The width of themembers 26 may be conveniently considered as thedimension thereof transverse of the lirey box, the thickness as thedimension longitudinally of the fire box A and the height as thedimension vertically of the fire box. v

The arms -266 are preferably bent as shown so that the arms, togetherwith the central 1,00

lower portions of the members, form archlike structures adapted tosupport a considerable weight when the ends 26o are secured to the sidesheets of the fire box.

Each member 26 is advantageously made of a single piece of ordinary firebox steel plate bent around a mandrel shaped to conform to the contourof the lower portion of the member, the walls forming the upper portionof the member being bent around a suitable die. The seams formed by theconfronting edges of the shaped sheets are welded as indicated at 30.

The edges of the openings 27 are welded to the edges of the openings 28in the crown sheet in any suitable desired manner. For

urposes of illustration I have shown a butt weld 31 at this point. Ifdesired, reinforcing or lap welds may be employed and the spacing andarranging of the staybolts 25 may be made in any manner suitable to takecare of the stresses imposed on this portion of the structure.

In order to compensate for expansion transversely of the members, theends 260 of the arms may be welded to relatively iiexf ible annulardiaphragm plates 32 (see Fig. 4). Suitable openings 33 are cut into theside sheets 13 and'one or both of the diaphragm plates 32 for eachmember are slipped over the ends 260 of the member before it is placedin position. From Fig. 2 it will be evident that this procedure willpermit ready insertion of a member into the lire box and the placing ofit in a position where the weld 3l can e made. When the member is inposition the iaphragms may then be moved outwardly to their properpositions as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4 and welded to the sidesheets, as at 34, and to the ends 260 as at 35. It will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that the form and character of the diaphragmplates may be varied considerably and it will also be evident that theseparate diaphragm plate construction may be employed if desired inconjunction with only one of the ends of each member.

The outer sheets 20 are preferably reinforced by plates 36 opposite theends of the circulating members and plugs 37 are provided for givingaccess to the arms of the circulating members for purposes of cleaning.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, the upper portions 26a of the severalcirculating members are materially narrower than the width of the firebox so that passages 38 for combustion gases are provided to each sideof these members above the lower portions of the members. Additionalarea for the passage of combustion gases is provided when hollowthimbles 29 are employed to stay the upper portions of members 26. Itwill be evident that the width of the portions 26a and the number andsize of thimbles, if employed, may be varied as desired in order to givethe required area for flow of combustion gases and the steaming area inthe members 26 which may be required for a given boiler design. In thisconnection it is to be `noted that because of the transverse positioningof the portions 26a of members 26, the steaming area of these elementsmay be materially increased through the use of thimbles 29 for stayingthese portions of the members.

The bulging lower portions of members 26 provide supporting surfaces fora plurality of refractory arch-forming brick or tile 39, which arepreferably, as shown in Fig. 2, relatively narrow and thick. At therearward end of the combustion chamber 6 a refractory brick wall 40 isprovided, the upper surface of this wall forming the forward support forthe arch brick 39a situated between the wall and the forward circulatingmember 26.

The manner in which the circulating members 26 function is largelyobvious from the drawings. These members draw water from the sparesadjacent to the side sheets subst-antially along the entire length ofthese spaces and deliver a steam and water mixture to the water spaceabove the crown sheet. By the arrangement which I have provided,circulation along the side sheets of the fire box is materiallystimulated, and the steaming qualities of the boiler are thus materiallyim. proved because of the fact that these sheets, which are exposed tothe radiant heat of the lire, are most eiiicient heating surfaces. Atthe same time the construction is such as to permit the use of thedesired refractory arch in the fire box. thus eliminating thepossibility of unduly chilling the firebecause of the presence of anexcessive amount of -watercooled or black surface such as is presentwhen water arches are employed.

The fire box illustrated in l is relativeshallow and it will be evidentfrom the drawings that the presentinvention is particularly adapted foruse in shallow lire boxes since it may be employed without interferingwith the necessary firing clearance. It will also be evident that theinvention provides an arrangement eliminating the relatively complicatedthroat sheet construction required by the forms of water circulatingelements which join the throat sheet.

Turning now to Fig. 5, the fire box construction is in general similarto that illustrated in Fig. 4 except that the fire box is somewhatdeeper than that illustrated in Fig. l and is not provided with acombustion chamber. In this form the throat sheet 19 is formed as anextension of or joins the flue sheet 17.

The members 26 in this form of construction are constructed and arrangedin the same. general manner as those previously described. They havebeen shown with relatively narrow upper portions 26a, these porlCS llO

25 42 is replaced by a 30 vantageously lower bulging portions of themembers lie approximately and rearwardly from the throat sheet toa pointin the rear sheet above the level of the fire door opening 15. Archbrick 39 are supported by the lower bulging portions of the members toprovide an inclined arch rather than a horizontal Fig. 1.

A transverse hollow member 42 is welded arch of the type shown in intothe throat sheet 19 below the level of the flues 1-8 to form awater-cooled ledge extending across the forward end ofthe fire box toprovide a support for the lower ends of the arch brick 39a. A row ofcleaneout plugs 43 is provided in sheet 22 opposite this ledge.

In Fig. 7 a modified arrangement for providing support at the throatsheet for the forward arch brick is illustrated, In this form ofconstruction the ledge formed by member plurality of rearwardlyextending short spur tubes or closed nipples 44. If this form ofconstruction is employed the arch brick 396 supported by the tubes 44and the forward circulating member may adbe wider than the brick 39a,the width of the bricks being chosen with regard to the transversespacing of the tubes 44 so that each individual brick will be centrallysupported by one of the tubes. Y

From the foregoing description, it will be a evident that the severalmodifications herein disclosed function in substantially the same wayand it will further be evident that many changes and modifications inthe apparatus 4o may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention. It will also be evident that certain features of theinvention may be employed to the exclusion of others. What I claim is 1.In combination with a locomotive boiler having a crown sheet and sheetsdefining side water legs extending below the level of the crown sheet, awater steaming and circulating member positioned transversely of thefire box and having .materially less extent longitudinally of the fireboxthan the transverse width thereof, said member comprising a lowerportion having ends opening into said side water legs and the upperportion of said 55 member connecting the lower portion with the spaceabove the crown sheet, there being space for fiow of gas past saidmember above said lower portion.

2. In combination with a locomotive boiler having a crown sheet andsheets defining side water legs extending` below the level ofthe crownsheet, a water steaming and circulating, member postioned transverselyof the fire box and having materially less extent longitudinally of thefire box than the transverse 1n a lineextending upwardly width thereof,said member comprising a lower portion having hollow arms communieatingwith said side water legs and pr0vi dl,

sheet, there being space for fiow of gas past y said member abovesaid'lower portion.

3. In combination with a locomotive boiler having a crown sheet andsheets defining side water legs extending below the level of the crownsheet, a water steaming and circulating member positioned transverselyof the fire box and having materially less extent longitudinally of thefire box than the transverse width thereof, said a bulging lower portfonhaving hollow arms communicating with said side water legs, said bulgingportion being adapted to support rc fractory arch-forming brick, theupper portion of said member connecting the lower portion with the spaceabove the crown sheet and there being space for ow of gas past saidmember above said lower portion.

4. In comb.' nation with a locomotive boiler having `a. crown sheet andsheets defining side water legs extending below the level of the crownsheet,'a water steaming and circulating member positioned transversely'of the fire box and having. materially less extent longitudinally of thefire box than the transverse width thereof, said member comprising abulging lower portion having hollowarms communicatfng with said sidewater legs,

said bulging portion being adapted to supportrefractory arch-formingbrick and said arms providing restricted communication with said sidewater legs, the upper porton of said member connecting the lower portionwith the space above the crown sheet and there being space for flow ofgas pastl said member above said lower portion.

5. In combination with a locomotive fire box having a crown sheet andsheets definng side water legs extending below the level of the crownsheet, a water steaming and circulating member comprising a fiat stayedupper portion opening into the space above the crown sheet transverselythereof and a lower portion having hollow arms communicating with saidside water legs, said upper portion being of substantially less widththan the width of the fire box and arranged to provide passages forcombustion gases to either side of said member above the bottom portionthereof.

6. In combination with a locomotive fire box having a crown sheeti'andsheets definfng side water legs extending below the level of the crownsheet. a water steaming and circulating member comprising a .flat stayedupper portion opening into the space above the crown sheet transversely'thereof and a bulging lower portion having hollow arms communicatingwith said side water legs, said lower portion being adapted to supportarch-forming refractory brick and said upper portion being ofsubstantially less width than the width of the fire box and arranged toprovide passages for combustion gases to either side of said memberabove the arch formed by said brick.

7. In combination with a lomotive fire box having a crown sheet andsheets defining sid-e water legs extending below the level of the crownsheet, a water steaming and circulating member comprising a fiat upperportion opening into the space above the crown sheet transverselythereof and a lower portion having hollow arms communicating with saidside water legs, said upper portion having a plurality of thimblespassing therethrough, said thimbles providing stays for `said fiat upperportion and forming lues therethrough for the passage o combustion gasesand said upper portion having less transverse extent `than the width ofthe fire box to provide additional space for flow of combustion gasbetween said portion and the sides'of the fire box above said lowerportion.

8. In combination with a locomotive fire box having a crown sheet andsheets defining s'de water legs extending below the level of the crownsheet, a water steaming and circulating member of generally inverted Tshape in elevation, said member being positioncd transversely of thefire box and comprising an upper portion opening into the space abovethe crown sheet and a lower portion havng hollow arms communicating withsaid side water legs, said arms being bent downwardly toward the sidesheets so as to provide an arch-like structure for supporting saidmember from the side sheets.

9. In combination with a locomotive fire box having a croi n sheet andsheets defining side waterlegs extending below the level of the crownsheet, a plurality of transversely positioned longitudinally spacedwater steaming and circulating members, each of said members comprisingan upper portion opening into the space above the crown sheet and abulging lower portion having hollow arms communicating with said sidewater legs, and a (plurality of refractory brick supporte between thebulging lower portions of said members to form a refractory arch in thefire box, said upper portions having less transverse extent than thewidth of the tire box to provide space for flow of combustion gas pastsai members above the lower portions thereof.

l0. In combination with a locomotive fire box having a crown sheet andsheets defining side water legs extending'below the level of the crownsheet, a plurality-of transversely positioned longitudinally spacedwater steaming and lcirculating members, each of said members comprisingan upper portion opening into the space above the crown sheet legs and abulging lower portion having hollow arms communicating with said sidewater legs, the lower portion of one of said members in the forward partofthe fire box being lower than the corresponding portion of another ofsaid members positioned in the fire box to the rear of the firstmentioned member, and a plurality of refractory brick supported betweenthe lower portions of said members, said upper portions-having lesstransverse extent than the width of the fire box to provide space for owof combustion gas past said members above the lower portions thereof.

11. In combination with a locomotive fire box having a crown sheet andsheets defining side water legs extending below the level of the crownsheet, a plurality of transversely positioned longitudinally spacedwater steaming and circulating members, each of said members comprisingan upper portion opening into the space above the crown sheet and abulging lower portion having hollow arms communicating with said sidewater legs, the lower portions of said members being disposedapproximately inthe line of a transverseplane inclined upwardly andrearwardly through the fire box, and a plurality of refractory bricksupported on said lower portions to provide an upwardly and rearwardlyinclined refractory arch in the fire box, said upper portions havingless transverse extent than the width of the fire box to provide spacefor flow of combustion gas past said members above the lower portionsthereof.

l2. In combination with a locomotive fire box having a crown sheet,-sheets defining side water legs extending below the level of the crownsheet, a throat sheet, and a rear sheet having a fire door openingtherein, a plurality of transversely positioned longitudinally spacedwater steaming and circulating members, each of said memberscomprising'an upper portion opening into the space above thecrown sheetand a bulging lower portion having hollow arms communieating with saidside water legs, the lower portions of said members being disposedapproximately in a line lying in a transverse plane -inclined rearwardlyand upwardly from the throat sheet to the rear sheet above the level ofthe fire door opening, and a plurality of refractory brick supported bysaid lower portions for providmg an ind clined refractory arch in thefire box, said upper portions having less transverse extent than' thewidth of the fire box to provide space for flow of combustion gas pastsaid members above the lower portions thereof.

13.A In a locomotive boiler, a fire box having a. crown sheet' andsheets defining side water extending below the level of the crown sheet,a combustion chamber extending forwardly from the firebox and va'plurality of transversely positioned longitudinally spaced iwatersteaming and circulating members, each of said members comprisingan upper portion vspace for flow openin into the space above the crownsheet and a bulging lower portion having hollow arms communicating withsaid side water legs, said lower portions being in substantial- 'lyhorizontal alignment, and 'a plurality of refractory brick supported bysaid lower portions to provide a substantially horizontal refractoryarch in the ire box, said upper portions having less transverse extentthan the width of the i'ire box to provide space for flow of combustiongas past said members above the lower portions thereof.

14. In a locomotive boiler, a fire box having a crown sheet and sheetsdefining side waterlegs extending below the level -of the crown sheet. acombustion chamber extending forwardly from the iire`box and a pluralityof transversely positioned longitudinally spa/ced water steaming andcirculating members, each of said members comprising an upper portionopening into the space above the crown sheet and a bulging lower portionhaving hollow arms communicating with said side water legs,` said lowerportions being in substantially horizontal alignment, a plurality ofrefractory brick supported by said lower portions to provide asubstantially horizontal refractory arch in the fire box, a transversevertical refractory brick wall at the rear of the combustion chamber,said upper portion having less transverse extent than the width of thefire. box to provide of combustion gas past the lower portion of themember and a row of refractory brick supported at, one end on saidvertical wall and at the other end on the forward one of said members.

15. In combination with a locomotive fire box having a crown sheet,sheets defining side waterlegs extending below the level of the. crownsheet and a. throat sheet, a transversely positioned water steaming andcirculating member comprising an upper portion opening into the spaceabove the crown sheet and a bulging lower portion having ends openinginto said side water legs, said member being positioned in the forwardportion of the fire box, the upper portion of said member having lesstransverse extent than the width of the iire box to provide space forflow of combustion gas past the memberabove the lower portion thereof, ahollow element projecting rearwardly of the throat sheet below `thelevel of the boiler iiues to provide a water cooled ledge, and a.plurality of refractory brick supported on said ledge and the lowerportion of said member.

16. In combination with a locomotive fire box having a crown sheet,sheets defining side water legs extending below the level of the crownsheet and a throat sheet, a transversely positioned water steaming andcirculating member comprising an upper portion openlng into the spaceabove the crown sheet and a bulgingk lower portion having ends openingmto said side water legs, said member being positioned in the forwardportion of the fire box, the upper portion of said member having lesstransverse extent than the width of the fire box to provide space for owof combustion gas past the member above the lower portion thereof, aplurality of spur tubes pro'- jecting rearwardly from said throat sheet,said spur tubes being spaced in a transverse row across the fire box,and a plurality of refractory brick supported on the lower p0rtion ofsaid member and on said spur tubes. 17. An integral sheet metal watersteaming and circulating member for boiler tire boxes, said member beingof general T shape in elevation, the stem of the T comprising aflat-stayed portion adapted to extend transversely of the fire box andproviding an elongated opening adapted to communicate with the waterspace transversely thereof above the crown sheetof the fire box and thearms of the T comprising hollow end portions adapted to communicate withthe water spaces adjacent the side sheets of the lire box.

An integral sheet metal water steaming and circulating member for boilerfire boxes, said member being of general T shape in elevation, the stemof the T comprising a flat portion adapted to extend transversely ofthefire box and having a plurality of thimbles extending therethroughserving to stay said flat portion and to provide passages for How ofcombustion gas through said member, the arms of the T comprising abulging portion of generally tubular form, the ends of said arms beingadapted to communicate with the water spaces adjacent the side sheets ofthe fire box.

19. An integral sheet metal water steaming and circulating member forboiler fire boxes, said member being of general T shape in elevation,the stem of the T comprising a flat portion providing anelongatedopening Aadapted to communicate with the water space above the crownsheet of the fire box and the arms of the T comprising a bulging portionhaving hollow ends adapted to communicate with the spaces adjacent tothe side sheets of the lire box, said arms being in the same plane asthe major axis of said elongated opening.

20. An integral sheet metal water steaming and circulating member forboiler fire boxes, vsaid member being of genera-l T shape in elevation,the lstem of the T comprising a flat portion providing an elongatedopening adapted to communicate with the water space above the crownsheetof the fire box and the arms of the T comprising a bulging portionhaving hollow ends adapted to communicate with the spaces adjacent tothe side sheets of the fire box, said arms being in the same plane asthe major axis of said elongated opening, and said arms being bent toprovide an arch-like supporting structure when said member is placed inposition in ahre box.

2l. An integral hollow sheet metal water steaming and circulating memberfor boiler fire boxes, said member having materially. less thicknessthan width and comprising a lower portion providing arms adapted toextend transversely of a tire box and to communicate with the waterspaces at the sides of the iire box and an upper portion projectinglaterally lof said lower portion an( adapted to provide communicationbetween said lower'portion and the water space above the rebox, saidupper portion being vof substantially less width than that of the lowerportion to provide spaces for iiow of combustion gases past the saidnupper portion when said member is in position in a irebox.

22. An integral hollow sheet metal water steaming and circulating memberfor boiler iire boxes, said member having materially less thickness thanwidth and comprising a lower portion providing arms adapted to extendtransversely of a fire box and to communicate with the water spaces atthe sides of the fire box and an upper portion projecting laterally osaidlower portion and adapted to provide signature;

-ing portions extending upwardly rom'the brick supporting portions toprovide Icommunication between the brick supporting portions and thespace above the crown sheet and the upwardly extending portions havinglessY width 'than that of the lire box to provide'a plurality ofpassages for flow of combust1on gases longitudinally of the Yupper porltion of the tire box.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my CHESTER A. siEGEL.

communication between said lower portion i and the Ywater space abovetheirebox, said lower'portion being of generally tubular form and havingbulging wall portions adaptedA to support brick for forming a refractoryarch and saidupper portion being of substantially less width than thatof the lower portion to provide spaces for flow of comustion gases astthesaid upper portion when said mem er is in position in a fire box.

23. In aV boiler, a fire box having acrown sheet and sheets definingside water legs extending below the level of the crown sheet, aplurality of longitudinally spaced water steaming and circulatingmembers extending transverselyY of the iire box, said members comprisinglower portions bridging the fire box below the level of theY crown sheetand communicating with'said side water legs and uper portions placingsaid lower portions in communication with the space above the crownsheet, said upper portions having less widthY than the width of the firebox to provide passages for iow of combustion gases past said membersabove said lower portions and brick supported by said membersbetween thelower portions thereof for forming a refractory arch.

24. Arch construction for boiler fire boxes having a crown sheet andsheets deiining side water legs extending below the level of the crownsheet comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced hollow membershaving por# tions extending transversely o' the lire box and incommunication with said side water

